Firefighters are on the scene at East Broadway, near Montgomery Street, where two manhole covers exploded shortly after 5pm. It happened in front of the Emigrant Savings Bank and across the street from P.S. 134. No one was hurt but police have strung crime scene tape along Montgomery and a section of Grand Street to keep onlookers at a safe distance. There were two loud booms when the manhole covers blew off, about five minutes apart, and a fairly strong smell of smoke.
The bank building is owned by the Seward Park Cooperative. Seward Park General Manager Frank Durant was told a transformer blew (the elevators in the bank went out briefly). A firefighter speculated that salt (used in the lead-up and aftermath of yesterday’s snow storm) probably seeped underground and set off the explosions. We’re told Con-Ed will be on the scene shortly. More photos after the jump:
and from C. Merry:
it was crazy the lights flicker inside the building then we heard a bomb, then two more….everyone got out safe…